Tokka Alphabet
by Maivry
Summary: A series of 26 Tokka oneshots from angst to shenanigans to romance and everything in between. Fun for shippers and non-shippers alike! Currently on hiatus as I transition out of college!
1. Association

A/N: This series of oneshots was originally posted on an Avatar fansite around June 2008, before the series had finished. Now, for its debut here, I'm improving it and even including a fic or two that was never previously released. It covers a range of genres and settings, but generally centers on Toph and Sokka's relationship during the show's timeline. I hope you'll enjoy the fics!

* * *

**Title:** Association

**Setting: **Whenever

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"Hey Toph, what's your favorite color?"

"Blue," I said, my eyebrow quirked as I turned my attention to Sokka.

"Really? I thought for sure you'd say green. Y'know, since you wear it all the time." He left it at that, and I heard him scrawling something onto some parchment.

"I wore red for a while too, didn't I?" I said, recalling that someone had once remarked that red was the main color for the Fire Nation, and apparently our disguises had blended in, so...

"Well, sure, but you didn't have much of a choice now, did you?" He sat up, and I could hear him shuffling papers. "You know, I only have a couple blues, and I've already used one for my page."

"What exactly are you doing?" I asked, deciding I wasn't going to wait for him to drop more clues.

"I thought it'd be a good idea to record some of Team Avatar's more memorable moments," he told me proudly. "You know, so when this is all over we'll have something to look back on. I figure on having at least a page for each member of the team, with associated colors."

"Huh," I said, thinking that wasn't, perhaps, such a bad idea, provided he was willing to read it to me in the future. "So what ideas do you have for my page?"

"Hmm," he said, and I sensed him tapping his chin with his writing implement. "Mostly I figured some of your more impressive moments. You know, when you beat all those wrestlers right after we met you, or those times against the Dai Li, metalbending and- oh, those scams could probably count, too."

"That's it?" I asked critically. "All action, no quotes? I can recall some gems aimed at you."

"Well," he said, his breath coming out in a huff as he crossed his arms. "Who says _I _want to remember those?"

"It wouldn't be historically accurate to leave them out," I said, matter of fact. "They really help paint a picture of your character."

He snorted. "Well, even _if _that were true, it wouldn't really belong on your page, now would it?"

I didn't say anything, and he returned to working on his little project. Of course, I had plenty of arguments against his claim, but I kept them to myself.

"You know, I think I'll go ahead and make you green. I just can't get away from the association."

"Sure, go ahead," I said, though I raised an eyebrow at him. I supposed if he couldn't include the memories I associated with him, I could have the color he associated with me.

Besides, if _he_ thought _I_ was that green, then perhaps it could become my favorite color.


	2. Bloodbending

Jade1994 - I'm glad you bring up the question of how Toph could have a favorite color even though she can't see. So, how could she? I'm well aware that Toph is blind, but I don't write with the assumption that anything associated with vision is cut off from her experience, understanding, use, or thoughts. This series of oneshots, in particular, has been betaed and edited previously, so by this time anything that seems off is probably intentional. I'm not going to come out and say what the intention is, so you've gotta open your brain to the possibilities. ;)

* * *

**Title:** Bloodbending

**Setting:** Shortly after 308.

**Viewpoint:** Sokka

* * *

Her footsteps were quiet enough that I didn't realize she was there until she was right behind me.

"Hey," she said softly, sitting down beside me. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Toph," I said, glancing away. "If you feel like comforting someone, go to Katara. She'd need you more."

"She's already asleep," Toph said firmly, aiding her point with a gesture. "You're not."

"Yeah, well," I began, staring at the ground and resting my chin on my knees. I didn't feel like saying anything more.

"Look," she said, sighing. "I don't know what all happened tonight." She held up a hand when I opened my mouth to speak. "And I'm not going to ask you to tell me the whole thing. But I think you need to talk about it."

I looked at her for a few moments, noting her serious face. I had to admit, it was unusually thoughtful of her to try to help me...

"Maybe you're right." I looked away again. "I don't know what it is, exactly. It's just, I don't feel- _clean_."

"Why?" she asked, leaning into her knees as well. "You didn't do anything."

"But I could have," I said in a louder voice, opening my arms and staring at my hands. "You didn't see the fight. I came _this_ close to-" I gulped, and lowered my voice. "Killing Aang."

"That wasn't you, Sokka." I thought I heard her voice crack, and I turned to look at her. Her eyes were closed, her brow creased. Like she could feel the horror with me. "You know if there was any way you could have stopped it, you would have."

"Instead I was helpless," I said, and shivered. I found myself gazing at the moon. Just... wondering _why_.

There were several moments of silence. Then her fist slammed into my shoulder.

"Ow!" I yelped, gritting my teeth as I turned on her. "What was that for?"

"You aren't helpless _now_, are you?" she asked, crossing her arms and somehow managing to stare me down.

I blinked. "You mean I could - heh. Fight you back?" I thought about it for a moment. "Haha. No."

The thought of fighting Toph was such a ridiculously useless idea that I started chuckling. It took me a few moments to realize Toph had made me laugh.

A corner of Toph's mouth was quirked. "Now are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah," I said, still shaking from the hint of mirth. "A little."

"I'm glad," she said, and left without ceremony.

I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows. Comparing how I felt before she had joined me, however, I was surprised at how peaceful I felt now.

But then again, I was a simple guy, and sometimes the best solution was the most direct.

With brows perplexed, I looked back towards where she had disappeared, smiling.


	3. Comparison

A/N: Just a warning, if you're allergic to angst you might want to skip this one... otherwise, enjoy!

* * *

**Title:**Comparison

**Setting:**Shortly after 212.

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"Bliss" and "despair" are strong words. Really strong words. In fact, if I think about it for even a moment, it's obvious they're completely excessive. My feelings at the time were _nothing _like what they describe. I mean, how silly would that be? If "bliss" and "despair" could be brought on so easily, then I must have gone soft. My weighty presence - destroyed. Everything I've grown comfortable with - taken away.

_Bliss - destroyed_. _Given and taken away by that one person who exchanged it for despair._

But that's not what it was like at all! What was even blissful about that moment? How could bliss have been possible at the time? I was blind, cold, and wet. Yeah, sounds like a recipe for bliss to me.

_I thought _he _was there_.

Really, and what has that got to do with anything?

_I was dying. My limbs were chilled. My fingers lost feeling. I couldn't swim. There was nothing I could do. I just had that one faint hope to hang onto. While the air was escaping my lungs, I had thoughts of him. He'd promised me. _I'm coming, Toph. _I believed him. When I became powerless, he was going to be the one to save me._

_The weight of the water pushed me down, but something pulled me up. My thoughts were incoherent - I'd suddenly forgotten where I was, yet I was anchored. To him. He was there with me, keeping his promise and holding me close. An onslaught of emotions hit me. Bliss, prominent among them. _No, stop it. That word is too strong. _But why shouldn't I be blissful? He'd turned from his preoccupations to save me. Condemned himself to the freezing water when there was nothing but my simple life at stake. The care and devotion that it implied_ - _how couldn't I love him at that moment? He came for _me_, and all the feelings I hadn't had the courage to admit came to the forefront._

_Him. Me. Just the two of us. I loved him at that moment, and I did only what I thought was due. Touching his face with my hand and lips. I didn't care about anything else in the world. Me and him. Us._

_That was where the bliss was strongest._

I rub my eyes. The lie has become stuck in my memory. _I'm coming, Toph._ I believed him.

I even tried to believe him later. Maybe he didn't intend for it to happen that way. He wasn't trying to spite me, was he? I don't think he was. Obviously it wasn't his plan. He wouldn't want to humiliate me like that. Or lift me up only to leave me to plummet into the cold, unforgiving water.

_Rather like the despair_...

No. Seriously, I don't want to relive that.

_I was still making excuses. Trying to believe the best in him. If he had just sought me to let me know it was all a mistake I would have known whether he was lying. Just because this- this girl had distracted him so effortlessly didn't mean he was trying to spite me._

_I was busy making excuses until that moment when she walked up to him. All my concentration focused on them. I couldn't help it. My ears were perked to hear their every word, anxious for a clue to the puzzle. Maybe he'd finally come back to his senses and could see that there was nothing that great about her. Tell her to go away, because he still needed to apologize to me for lying._

_My optimism was fighting a losing battle. He seemed disappointed that she was _leaving_, and even while I longed to celebrate this news, I tensed up hearing the care in his voice._

_He wasn't lying. I had my feet on the ground. I could tell this time._

_I caught my breath when I anticipated his movement. He came closer to her. And, and, and..._

_That was where the despair was strongest._

_The onslaught of emotions returned unbidden as I gawked at what they were doing. It had to be a lie. I knew now how cruelly he had lied to me before. It was a trick. An attempt to make me hate him as much as he must hate me._

_I still couldn't breathe. Shocked at his betrayal, and at my stupidity, and at my _naivety. _I should have seen it coming. The whole thing. It was a trap, right from the beginning, right from when she had first said his name._

I _should have been the one to get his attention._ He _should have been the one to save me. _She _should have been the one standing where I was, arms falling to my sides as I tried to imagine away this trap they'd set up for me._

_At least if she were in my place, she would have had the ability to walk away. To forget and move on to someone else. Did she even _know _him? Were she in my place, could it possibly have hurt this much?_

_My only consolation was her departure. But I could feel him. The way he moved - joy and yearning at the same time. He spoke a few words - seemingly oblivious to my state of mind._

_The despair lingered on._

I flick the moisture away from my eye. "Bliss" and "despair" are strong words. For the first one, I thought he had saved my life - my gratitude was easily misunderstood for "bliss." For the second one, I thought he hated me - my annoyance was easily misunderstood for "despair."

Besides, I thought wrong on both counts. If I'm going to live past these feelings of "bliss" and "despair," as I too strongly phrase them, I'll have to believe he doesn't hate me. After all, he wouldn't unless I deserve it. And I haven't done anything to get in the way of what he wants, have I? And, and, even if he does, what does that matter? I've dealt with annoying people before.

But.

I kind of don't want to, y'know, deserve it.

So...

They're still too strong, but they'll serve my purpose anyway.

For his "bliss," I'll take "despair."


	4. Difference

**Title:** Difference

**Setting:** Whenever

**Viewpoint:** Sokka

* * *

I was just minding my own business when it made me halt what I was doing.

My bowl clattered to the ground, forgotten. "Wait, Toph. Do that again."

"Do _what_?" Toph asked, turning her sightless gaze towards me.

"Uhh," I said, hunching my shoulders. "What you did with your hair. You, uh, brushed it out of the way?"

She just stared at me for a few moments, blinking in the process. Finally, she complied.

There it was again. A glimpse of something I'd never seen. My brows pinched.

"Care to explain why you wanted me to do that?" she said, breaking my reverie after a few more moments of silence.

"Uh, I don't know," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "It just looked kind of..." I trailed off and took in a deep breath.

"Kind of what?" she demanded, glowering at me.

"It just made me think that maybe someday you might probably be kinda pretty," I said all in one breath. Then I stared at her, feeling my stomach twist in anticipation for her reaction.

There was a single moment so silent that I could have sworn I heard her blink. My embarrassment deepened.

"Thanks, Sokka," she said sarcastically. She leaned towards me and I winced. "I'm afraid I'm not that good with visuals. Tell me: was that a compliment or an insult?"

_Great, Sokka_, I scorned myself. _That was real smart. C'mon, this is Toph we're talking about_.

"It was _meant_ as a compliment," I said, holding up my hands defensively. "Only I should have thought- I know you don't care- I'm sorry if-"

"Shut up, Sokka," she said, smirking and leaning back on one hand. "Rambling isn't one of your strong points."

And that was that. She stood up to leave without so much as punching me.

Something made me feel like I shouldn't, but I watched her as she walked away, just to confirm I hadn't been imagining things.

_This is Toph we're talking about_, I reminded myself, but I didn't listen. There was grace in her walk - again, something I'd never noticed. And, if my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, she brushed her hair away to the same startling effect.

Maybe that someday was soon.


	5. Enigma

A/N: I really appreciate everyone who's been following along so far! =) Thanks for reading my stuff. This week's fic is a little special, because it's the first one with a viewpoint character besides Toph and Sokka. Enjoy!

* * *

**Title:** Enigma

**Setting:** During 302.

**Viewpoint:** Katara

* * *

An infernal repetition of taps grated on my ears.

"Sokka," Toph drawled to my brother, her tone signifying a complaint as she tossed some form of debris against the cave wall and bounced it back to her hand. "I'm bored."

"Then find something to do," he said, unseen from my position beside Appa.

"The only thing to do is work on your stupid schedule, and you won't let me," she retorted.

Sokka grunted. I sighed, arranging my game tiles. They'd become rather worn after our time in Ba Sing Se. I was sick of this same game, and I wished _I_ had something better to do.

"Maybe you should go to _school_, then," Sokka suggested after a few moments.

I glanced up to see Toph sticking out her tongue. "No thanks. One flighty brainhead is enough."

"Shush up, Toph," I growled.

She didn't seem to notice.

"Then why would you care about my schedule?" Sokka asked condescendingly, sitting up so that his arm and the long scrap of paper he'd been spending the whole day on came into my view. "It takes a fair bit of smarts to sort out what's necessary to save the world."

She snorted. "What's new? You fight the bad guy, what's so hard about that?"

Sokka snorted, then raised a finger and took in a breath to speak.

"Oh, that's right," Toph cut in before he responded. "You don't fight, you just stand on the sidelines tossing that bent stick of yours."

"That _is_ fighting!"

She laughed at him and he sputtered at her. A few moments of shouting were enough for Appa - no longer having the patience required to tolerate them - to shift away and leave me alone to watch the pair bicker back and forth.

I gritted my teeth, thinking that it was bad enough that the best thing to do was play with my tiles without an argument making it impossible to _concentrate_.

"I've got some ideas that might _actually_ work. C'mon, just let me mark up part of your-"

"Ha," Sokka laughed. "You can't. See, I remembered this time."

"Gee, congratulations, Sokka. With that perfect brain of yours, you'd think you hadn't just forgotten five minutes ago."

"What, like it's proof you have an impressive intellect simply _because_ you're blind?"

"It just goes with the rest of my genius. I guarantee that if we swapped places you'd be breaking your record of bumbling by the time I conquered-"

I snapped. "Would you two just _stop_!" I shouted.

They jerked their faces towards me, ostensibly having forgotten they weren't alone.

Sokka blinked a few times before he regained his composure. "What's the matter, Katara?"

"I can't think with you two carrying on like that," I said, flinging my arm in their direction with a jerky motion. "Honestly, just because Aang's not here doesn't mean you can get away with it."

"But," he trailed off, his brows quirking into a dramatic expression of bemusement. "We're always like this."

I furrowed my brow. "No, you aren't," I said. "Surely I would have noticed."

"You didn't notice before because Aang was there," Toph said, smirking.

I opened my mouth to retort, then stopped, blinking.

They seemed to take that as a cue to go back to their dispute.

"I don't care to hear the rest of your little witticism, Toph," Sokka said, waving his hand about. "But, seriously, if you could see my schedule I _know_ you'd be impressed."

"Then you should be glad I can't see," she said, shaking her head and grinning. "There's no other way to spare you the embarrassment of being wrong."

I can't say I heard whatever they said next. I was too surprised from seeing the truth of their words. The way they acted - they were both comfortable and _familiar_ with the banter.

But I'd never seen it before. Not with Aang around.

I leaned on an elbow, hunching my shoulders and biting my lip.

What else had I overlooked?


	6. Flattery

Sokka's Fan-Lawyer - There are a couple other fics with other viewpoint characters, but the majority are definitely from Toph's perspective. I wish I could say there's some that take place during 304 and 307, but I'm afraid that might have to wait for another set! Thanks for your feedback, I hope you'll enjoy the rest. ^_^

* * *

**Title:** Flattery

**Setting:** Whenever

**Viewpoint:** Sokka

* * *

A voice came from behind. "What's _this_, Sokka?"

There was an odd prodding sensation around his neck. Tiny fingers. Poking him.

He jerked his shoulders reflexively, then grabbed her hand and turned around in one motion.

"_That_ is my whaletooth necklace," he said, casting her hand away.

"Really?" she asked with a little too much interest. "Aren't necklaces a little _girly_ for you, Macho Boy?"

"Maybe where _you_ come from," he said haughtily, crossing his arms. "But in the Water Tribe, _girls_ don't wear whaletooth necklaces."

"Is that so," she said smugly. Her hand reached for the necklace again, making him blink. She prodded it, worrying her fingers around it. Then, she pulled it away from his neck and let it snap back into place.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, and rubbed his neck. "What was that for?"

She didn't reply. Instead she reached under her sleeve for her meteor bracelet, and bended it around her neck. When she drew her hands away, she was wearing a passable copy of his necklace... sort of.

"Ha," she said triumphantly. "There."

He scratched his head, confused. "So?"

She sighed. "So, I'm a _girl_."

"_Right_," he said, drawing out the word. Then he pointed at her. "But _that's_ not a whaletooth necklace."

She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "But doesn't it _look_ like one?"

"I suppose so," he said, shrugging. "Aside from the color. And the proportions - it's not supposed to taper off like that; it's consistent all the way around."

"Oh, I'm _sorry_ that I don't have the right _color_ and _quantity_ of space rock," she said angrily, tearing her whaletooth imitation off. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you'd given it to me."

"Hey, if I ever see a white meteorite," he began, holding his arms up. "I'll be sure to grab some for you."

She opened her mouth to retort, but then inexplicitly shut it. She fingered her space rock for a few moments, silent.

"Sure," she said, shrugging. Then she walked away.

Sokka watched her and shook his head, unsure what he had said that had caused her to calm down.

"That girl's crazy," he said, giving his head a final shake and trying to recollect what he'd been doing before the encounter.

_Mysterious as it is_, he thought, smiling slightly, _being able to placate her isn't such a bad skill to have._


	7. Gentleman

**Title:** Gentleman

**Setting:** During 303.

**Viewpoint:** Toph

I was born blind. That was plain enough. The stench of the polluted river below us was strong - summarily causing me to avoid my ability to smell. My sense of touch, too, was diminished to that of a regular person. After all, the boardwalk we were walking upon was made of wood.

Consequently, I was left only to listen, a task that I'm exceptionally good at.

"Mama, what's wrong with that girl's eyes?"

I lowered my eyelids, knowing what always came next.

"Ah, she must be blind," a tired woman's voice said.

"Oh, is that why she's holding onto that boy's arm?"

"Must be. Fortune for her that he doesn't seem to mind the task."

I blinked, unable to recall the last time I had overheard such a conversation without the pity. Wasn't she going to mention what a poor weakling I was? But it was already over - the woman was tutting at the child so they could get on with their life.

Then, for some illogical reason I couldn't define, I began to smile.

_Why_? I wondered while I walked along, truly blind and minding I didn't breath through my nose. The situation was unusual, true, but I'd never found any joy in even the most considerate of overheard conversations.

_"He doesn't seem to mind_."

My smile faltered. Then I stifled it completely.

_Sapgoose_, I told myself. _That doesn't mean it _means_ anything to him._

I couldn't quite banish the thought, however, so I worked to stifle that smile for a long time.


	8. Hyperbole

**Title:** Hyperbole

**Setting:** Before 217.

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"So there we were, in the midst of a camp of a few dozen firebenders. It was a really tough fight, but I managed to knock out about a dozen of them before-"

"Are you kidding?" I interrupted. "I've never seen you manage anything like that in all the time I've known you."

He sputtered a string of objections, as expected.

"Actually, he didn't get a single hit in," Katara announced smugly from the cooking pot.

I leaned back on my hands, and smirked. "Ha, thought so."

"Hey, who's telling this story?" Sokka demanded, leaning all his weight in Katara's direction.

"_You_ are," Katara said, exasperated, and kneeled to stir the pot. "As always, I'm too busy actually doing something to tell it right."

"Hmph," Sokka grunted, then turned back to me. "Anyway, in the middle of the fight, a bunch of rebels showed up. Now, they started attacking the firebenders, but I knew right away that there was something fishy about them-"

"Admit it, Sokka, you were jealous."

"I was not!"

"Yes you were. Okay, not later, but certainly when they first showed up."

Sokka grumbled some sort of weak protest, and I snorted.

"How about you just let him ruin the story by himself," I suggested to Katara, smirking. It's not like I had any trouble distinguishing the truth from fantasy.

She shrugged, allowing him to continue.

"...so we went to their secret hideout, where they acted like nice people and threw a feast. We were going to leave, but I could tell their leader was up to something, so I decided to stick around.

"So he took me out on a job to ambush someone." He leaned forward a little, and his voice grew hushed. "Only when it turned out that the only person to come along was a harmless old man, he attacked him anyway, just like I suspected."

I raised an eyebrow, wondering how much I could trust. Katara was being quiet - I couldn't be sure if it was because she was containing herself or because it wasn't actually wrong. It didn't help that Sokka's ego was getting in the way of my lie detecting abilities.

"...I stood up to him, and finally got him to leave the man alone, but he still didn't admit he was up to anything. When we got back, he had a story all prepared for Katara and Aang about how the guy was an assassin. _Katara_," he continued, slathering her name with sarcasm as he leaned over towards his sister, "was too busy being _lovesick_ over his smooth moves to listen to reason."

"I was not!"

"Were too."

"Just get on with your story!" she ordered, threatening him with a ladle.

After a momentary glare match, he returned to his normal stance.

"Okay, after that, I really knew something was fishy, but no one listened to me. So when I heard some of the rebels sneaking out right before dawn, I followed. I overheard their conversation, and discovered I was right - they intended to blow a dam and flood the nearby town where Fire Nation soldiers _and_ Earth Kingdom citizens lived."

I leaned forward despite myself, wondering how this was going to end. The story was seeming a bit more genuine, maybe it really _was_ true...

"They found me, though, and ganged up on me. I put up a strong fight, if I do say so - one against six, and I kept fighting even after they tied my hands!"

Then again, maybe not.

"Their leader knew I was a threat, so he sent some of his thugs to keep me away while he did his dirty work. I was lucky that, despite their robust size, they could never match me for brains. I tricked them into running into some Fire Nation traps. Finally free, I went to the town-"

"You what?"

"I went to the town," he said, a little confused. "To tell the townspeople-"

"Why would you do that? Couldn't you go to the dam?"

"What? No," he said, scratching his neck. "It was guarded. Yeah, there were at least a dozen guards! The brawniest of the rebels, in fact."

I crossed my arms, slouching and smirking. "Only a dozen? What's that to the great Sokka? Seriously, did your amazing brains leak out after you made the other guys spring the traps?"

"Of course not," he said heatedly. "I couldn't go to the dam, though, I would have been spotted. It was way too open!"

I snorted. "Maybe you should have thought of that before you knocked out a dozen firebenders."

Nearby, Katara was laughing into her hand.

"_Anyway_," Sokka said icily. "I convinced the town people that, uh, they should evacuate. And they, well, they didn't believe me at first, but that old man I'd saved earlier vouched for me. Fortunately, he got them to leave before the dam blew."

"I'm sure they appreciated your saving their homes," I said blandly. "So, then what?"

"Then what, what?" he asked glumly.

"You mean you didn't do anything heroic after that?" I asked sarcastically.

"Not really. I mean, Katara and Aang had just finished fighting the rebel leader when I found them. So I told them what happened, and we left."

"That's it?" I asked, blinking. I sighed. "You really know how to be anti-climatic."

"Actually," Katara said softly. "He said some pretty deep things before we left."

"Oh, really?" I asked, turning my face towards her and pushing away my strangely heightened interest. "Deep? Sokka? Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"

"Yes," she said, with a smile in her voice. "He really did keep a step ahead of us. Aang and I didn't suspect a thing until it was too late." There was a moment's pause. "Of course, all that supposed fighting he did is pure nonsense."

I grinned. Sokka crossed his arms jerkily and hmphed. "Not that you did better. The only intelligent thing you managed to do was freeze him to a tree." Despite his cynical words, I could tell from his voice that he must be smiling.

"Fine, fine," Katara said in resignation. "I'll give you this one."

_Sokka, a hero_, I thought distractedly. Even if it was only for a day or two. I... kind of liked the thought.

"Course," I said, picking at my fingernails. "I could have taken care of the matter in about two seconds."

I was met with exasperated sighs, so I just laughed.


	9. Impudence

Sokka's Fan Lawyer - Thanks for pointing out that tidbit about the dialogue. I rarely need to use that device, so I've never gotten into the habit. I'll keep an eye for it from now on.

* * *

**Title:** Impudence

**Setting:** After 209.

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"Hey Hardnose," I called down to him.

He didn't reply, and only sent off the barest of vibrations. I guessed that, if he had communicated any acknowledgement of my comment, it was solely through his expression.

I tapped my foot, waiting. He continued to ignore me.

"Noodlebrain," I tried again, crossing my arms. "Quibbly. Humdrum. Bendless. Moongazer-"

"Would you _stop_ it," came his sudden interruption.

_Ouch_, I thought. _Now _that_ one hit a nerve._

"Of course not, Numbskull," I said sweetly.

Moments passed. He was back to paying me no attention. I glowered in his direction. What made him think he could get away with ignoring me? I mean, it wasn't like sharpening his boomerang or whatever he was doing was more interesting.

"Is the poor Lord Manly too proud to answer to anything but his given name?" I asked in a sing-song voice, clasping my hands as if I were about to swoon.

There was a derisive snort, but he _still_ refused to reply. I clenched my fists.

_Stupid, stubborn, Meathead!_ I thought angrily. Twinkletoes had accepted his nickname with grace. And Sugarqueen's outrage was downright amusing.

_Ponytail_, on the other hand, was so stubborn that I barely had any effect on him at all. I thought that this new life had gotten me away from all the ineffectiveness of my past. But _no_, Mastermind had to ignore me.

"Say something, Sokka!" I shouted, stomping both feet for emphasis.

"Yes, Toph?" came his immediate, lilting response.

That was it. He had me infuriated. Clenching my fists, I slammed a foot against the ground.

"Augh!" he shrieked when I bended a small pillar of rock into his side so that he flew to the ground a few feet away.

I stalked away before he had a chance to recover.

It was silly and stupid. I mean, why would I even want him to talk to me? His voice alone had infuriated me. Because he'd spoken on _his_ terms. He knew who I was - Blind Bandit and Sifu to the Avatar - but he still had that kind of power over me? _What_ exactly gave him that right? He couldn't even bend.

I was glowering in my earth tent, trying to fathom the reasoning behind it. I could hear some bustle from the rest of camp - a fire, Aang and Katara talking. Boomerang. Sharpening.

He didn't come to apologize and it bothered me.

I laid down, chin on arms.

He was stubborn, that's for sure. So maybe if I let him win and called him by his name it wouldn't be so bad. I got in the last word for this battle, after all. Maybe if he lost, he wouldn't want to actually talk to me. And it wasn't worth the fight if the reward was lost in the process.

_I could just leave the war where it's at,_ I thought to myself with a smirk. _Call him by his name as if nothing happened. He'd probably be too stupid to notice anyway._

Now I could look forward to hearing his voice without fighting for it.

But why would I want that? It's not like I want to talk to him.

No one ignores _me_. At least not people I want to talk to.

_That doesn't make sense. Why do you even want him to like you?_

I don't.

_Yes you do. You wouldn't think that otherwise._

I'm not thinking it.

_Yes you are._

Shut up.


	10. Joust

**Title:** Joust

**Setting:** During 309, most likely.

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"Well, you see Sokka, I've kind of been in love with you for a long time. Now, I- I know you don't feel the same and you've got so much to think about, but I really had to tell you and- you know what? I can't believe how stupid I sound."

I leaned on my fist and tapped the ground with my foot, trying to think of a better way to put it. Preferably a way that didn't make me cringe. Because, really? I didn't want to act like a total sap any more. I didn't want him to ever think of me as a total sap.

_Pull it together, Toph_, I thought, pacing. I turned swiftly to face my audience.

So maybe "audience" wasn't quite the right word. Really, it was just a pillar of earth, roughly hewn to match the build of a certain best friend of mine. Of course, it wasn't accurate - I understand that sight helps with one's artistic ability, so I did what I could. Still, I got a sense of familiarity from it.

Additionally, it didn't talk back. For my purposes, that was both a good and a bad thing. Primarily it gave me a chance to put my thoughts into words without risking the kind of embarrassment that I could never live down. Not that I wasn't already feeling that kind of pressure.

"Let's try something different," I announced, deciding it was best not to dwell too long on any one thought. "Let's see how you match up to the real thing."

I stomped my foot, changing the pose of the statue so it was kneeling. Stepping forward, I slipped into the circle of its arms, and sat there.

I allowed myself several moments with my shoulders hunched before I decided it was wholly unsatisfying.

Earth - wonderful and stable as it was - lacked a certain amount of life. Sure, it moved and changed, as nature does... but when it came right down to it, earth didn't breathe, or make its own decisions, or - really - react to anything I did at all.

Unless I was bending it, of course.

I straightened up, glowering at Sokka's double .

"So, been out hunting lately?" I asked it, hands on hips. Taking a couple sniffs, I narrowed my eyes. "Guess not."

I lowered my face, and drummed my fingers on my knee. "Um," I continued. "I don't suppose you've ever forgotten I was blind, lately. You know, provided you ever even knew?"

It didn't reply.

Feeling my face heat up, I jumped to the regular ground and continued pacing.

"Do you think you'd help me if I didn't tell you to?" I asked it suspiciously. "Or if I specifically told you _not_ to?"

I gave it a moment to digest the question, then turned away from it.

"Of course not. You do what I say because I'm a bender. I mean, that's great, but..."

I trailed off and listened to my surroundings, slowing my breaths. _Remember why you're doing this._ I could sense so much through my bending. Insects crawling across twigs, the shifting of roots as grasses blew in the wind, waves washing up against the shore...

I found myself completely lost in the sensation of those waves, contemplating the mystery of that foreign element. I shook my head and ran my hand through my hair. "Why do I always have to come back to him?"

I exhaled deeply, then spun around, making the statue stand once again, and ran forward to embrace it.

"Oh, Sokka, I'm so glad you feel the same!" I told it emphatically. Then I pushed myself away, nearly stumbling in my haste, and clutched my head.

"Toph, you're crazy," I exclaimed. "You're actually talking to a pillar of rock like you're in love with it!"

I was really starting to think my idea was making things worse. Just because I needed something to do while everyone else happened to be on simultaneous errands didn't mean I had to actually _do_ it. I could have lasted a couple hours alone without trying my idea.

I glowered at the ground, blaming it for giving me the temptation.

"Why don't you suggest something more fun to do?" I demanded of the statue. "What you're derived from wouldn't have any trouble thinking of something. Frankly, I miss him more than I'm liking you, you little spinoff."

I slapped my forehead. _Stop it_, I insisted to myself. _You're trying to get over him._

Getting over him? That was the initial idea, of course. Why else would I risk such embarrassment, even if I was the only witness? Earth, the greatest comfort in my life, had literally saved me from misery as a child. I would never give it up for anything. But I had never realized how lonely I was until I found friendship. Until I learned that there was more than one thing that I wanted in life.

I leveled the statue into the ground, knowing that it had served as much purpose as it was ever going to give.

I fell to my knees. "Blast you," I whispered, brushing my fingers across the ground. "Why can't you be enough?"

* * *

I jerked my head up when I heard a low growl that unmistakably belonged to Appa. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sat up, awaiting the return of my friends.

Sokka was the first one to dismount. He was carrying an extra weight with him, no doubt something he bought.

"Hey Toph, I got you a bunch of rice candy in town!" he announced.

A stupid grin sprang to my face. In fact, nearly as stupid as the one I'd been wearing when I was pretending to be in love with a statue.

Only I knew this one was real.


	11. Kin

A/N: Just a reminder that this oneshot series was originally written in 2008, before the show ended. Consequently, this is one of the fics that would differ notably if I'd written it after the finale.

* * *

**Title:** Kin

**Setting:** Shortly after the war.

**Viewpoint:** Gran-Gran

* * *

"Just a moment."

Sokka flitted out of my grasp with an unfamiliar quickness. It didn't come with any of his typical awkwardness - it seemed traveling the world had removed the self-consciousness that accompanied being embraced by his Gran-Gran, and now he carried himself with a new sense of assurance. No, it wasn't awkwardness. Sokka's mind was simply on something else.

I followed him a few steps, peering up at the saddle he was crawling to.

"It's too cold," an unknown voice objected. The voice was young. But not as young as the children of the village. Feminine, too. But it certainly wasn't Katara. She was standing beside me, looking on incuriously.

"We'll get you a proper parka soon," Sokka assured our guest who was still out of sight. The great beast they traveled on - Appa - shifted his head a few feet, making me blink at him. It'd been almost a year since I'd seen him. Seen any of them.

Of course they would have made friends during that time.

A short girl with a green bedroll wrapped tightly around her descended the bison with Sokka's aid. Upon reaching the ground, she fought for balance, still hanging on to my grandson's arm. They came forward to join our small gathering. She walked awkwardly, like a toddler on their first day in the snow.

"Right," Katara said, turning suddenly to me with a grin. "Now we're all here."

"Gran-Gran, this is Toph," Sokka said.

As I was subsequently introduced to her, I took a moment to study the young girl. Dark hair was hanging in her face, hiding her eyes, but I could see her mouth pulled back in a mild grimace.

"Nice to meet you," she said, pulling her mouth into a tense grin. I tilted my head and she pursed her lips, as if aware of my scrutiny despite the fringe of hair blocking her view. She hunched her shoulders and shook Sokka's arm. "Now can I get something decently warm?"

"Alright, Toph." Sokka sighed, and led her away.

I watched them a moment, then glanced back at Katara and Aang, who smiled under my gaze. For some reason, they showed no inclination to help their friend.

"Why does she need him to guide her?" I asked, admittedly surprised at how naturally the task fell to Sokka.

"Oh," Katara said, her eyes widening. "Toph's blind."

I blinked, and glanced back at her once again. Seeing her slow progress, it made sense. "And she was with you while you were adventuring?"

Aang laughed, then cut it off sheepishly when I turned back to him. "Not like that," he said, gesturing towards her. "She's my Earthbending Sifu, and can see through her bending."

"Oh," I said, nodding. I'd never heard of such a thing, but I'd spent too many years watching after Katara and her bending to be much surprised by anything.

"Well then," I said, finally getting to the point. "Tell me all that has transpired."

Aang launched into the tale with enthusiasm. Katara only occasionally interrupted when she had a different account.

They hadn't yet brought up how they'd met Toph when she and Sokka returned. Sokka had dug up one of Katara's old parkas, which Toph now huddled in, still with Sokka's arm firmly in her grasp. Their arrival didn't unsettle the narrative whatsoever - though Sokka joined in to speak nearly as much as Aang.

"...and then," Aang announced with a long, deep sigh. "We could finally come back here."

"Dad's going to be soon," Katara added excitedly. "He's sailing in, and should be near the south border of the Earth Kingdom by now."

Toph was silent through the whole exchange, and her lips were pursed. Enough of her hair had been caught in the fur lining of her coat for her eyes - strangely opaque - and furrowed brows to be visible.

"Yes, and now that we're done with that," Sokka said. "I'm starving. C'mon Toph, let's find something to eat."

She jerked her head towards him, as if forgetting that he was there. Nodding, they turned about, while Katara gave me an extra hug and they all trundled away.

"Why didn't she say anything?" Toph whispered nervously, just barely within earshot. I doubted she meant me to hear - she must be unused to how sound carries in our cold climate.

"Gran-Gran's always been like that," Sokka told her, laughing. "It's nothing to fret about."

But to all appearances, she was fretting. _Why about me,_ I wondered idly.

As I followed them, at my own pace, I noticed that she was holding herself closer to Sokka than was really necessary. A glance at Katara and Aang proved I'd missed yet another detail. My granddaughter and the airbender were holding hands.

I slowed slightly, now noticing the natural dichotomy between the four of them that I was sure even they were unconscious of.

A smile pulled at my weathered skin.

It was a good thing Hakoda would finally return soon. I'd need someone to celebrate the expansion of our family with.


	12. Looks

**Title:** Looks

**Setting:** Whenever.

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

Behind Toph, there was an insufferable giggle.

"Look at him," a hushed, girly voice said. The culprit nudged another girl standing next to her. "The sleeveless guy with the cute ponytail."

"Ooh," her companion replied, equally hushed. "_Nice_." She giggled. "I dare you to talk to him!"

Toph narrowed her eyes, turning her attention to Sokka to tell if he had noticed. Apparently he hadn't heard, since he was absorbed in discussing the purchase of meat with a vendor at that moment.

Not that that would last. A moment later, one of the girls came up behind him, leaning dangerously close.

"Hey there, cutie," she called to him, her voice high and sticky-sweet. "Where'd you come from to have such a nice tan?"

Sokka turned around quickly. Too quickly. Toph scowled.

"Hi there," he said, as soon as he had taken in who had spoken. He was friendly. But he didn't even have the decency to be unconscious of it. He sounded _pleased_. "Sokka, Southern Water Tribe, at your service."

"I'm _honored_," the girl continued. There was a pause, and Toph gritted her teeth imagining what they were communicating nonverbally. "No wonder I noticed you right away. They don't make guys like _you_ around here."

"Heh," Sokka said, standing up straighter, and opening his arms wide. "What can I say? I-"

"I can tell you what," Toph interrupted, tapping her foot. "But you wouldn't want to hear it. You look like an imbecile."

"Hey!" Sokka protested.

"Hmph!" the flirt said, the sound just as high and dainty as her speaking voice.

"C'mon, Sokka, we have better things to do than dwell on your looks all day," Toph said, pushing him forward, but not before taking a moment to send a glare rife with meaning towards the flirt.

He sighed and fell in step in front of her.

"She's totally just jealous," the flirt's companion said upon rejoining her.

"Poor blind girl," the flirt replied, her tone overly sympathetic. They were back to their hushed voices, obviously not expecting Toph to hear. "Actually, I just feel _so_ sorry that she'll never get to see him."

Save for the pity, Toph didn't think to bother arguing with the words. _Maybe I am a little jealous,_ she admitted to herself calmly as she kept walking forward. _But it wouldn't be because I think looks are important._ Unlike them, she didn't care one way or the other if he matched up to some sort of standard for appearances.

Simply put, Sokka's looks were a part of _Sokka_ - and it was a part of him she'd never know.


	13. Misconception

**Title:** Misconception

**Setting:** During 313.

**Viewpoint:** Sokka

* * *

"I don't like it."

"For the last time, Katara, he isn't lying," Toph said, turning to my sister and crossing her arms in exasperation.

Zuko didn't appear to hear them as he turned around to announce, "It's quite a distance, so don't expect us back before dark."

"What if he's like Azula?" I asked, stepping towards Katara and matching her scowl as I eyed Zuko.

"What about Azula?" Katara said, turning on me, her eyes wide.

"Y'know, an incorrigible liar."

Toph made a sound of disgust. "No," she said firmly. "If it's any reassurance, I've been watching him. There aren't any similarities."

"Bye guys!" Aang distracted us as he sat atop Appa and waved. "We'll see you later."

"Bye Aang, bye Zuko," Toph called with a grin, while Katara and I waved half-heartedly.

Appa lifted his tail, and a moment later they were off.

I watched them disappear into the morning light for a few moments, then I turned on Toph. "What do you mean you've been watching him?"

"What's the problem Sokka?" Katara asked, scowling at me. "Don't you think that's wise?"

"Yeah," I admitted, then jabbed my thumb in Toph's direction. "But she already trusts him."

"I didn't realize it was such a crime," Toph said, gesturing with one hand. "Anyway, I'm way ahead of you Sokka. I've been watching him for lies - and he has told a couple, so he's not like Azula."

"Is that supposed to reassure me?" I asked incredulously. Katara's expression was getting steadily more dangerous.

"Relax," Toph said, lowering her eyelids. "They were definitely harmless. Do you really expect him to pour out his soul just because he's our ally now?"

"I should hope not," I began. "I'd h-"

"Good," Toph cut me off. "Katara, I think you'd better go check on the rest of the group. It looks like Haru's attempting to make breakfast again."

Katara glanced towards our main meal area with a grimace. "Okay. I guess we'll talk about this later."

After Katara left, I didn't continue what I had tried to say to Toph. I found myself staring out at the foggy canyon before us. I was willing to accept Zuko as someone other than an enemy, but that didn't mean I was just going to let him into our close-knit group. He'd have to earn his place, and so far I wasn't very impressed.

Toph wasn't helping the matter. As far as I knew, she'd already forgotten her promise to take revenge on Zuko. I'd think that she would be the last person to forget he'd burned her feet. Honestly, by now Katara was my only ally for keeping him in check. But, much as I love my sister, I wish I had someone else to work with.

"So, have you decided yet?"

"Decided what?" I said, jarred from my thoughts.

"I don't know," Toph said, crossing her arms and glaring at me. "Whatever you're deciding."

"I wasn't deciding anything," I said, likewise crossing my arms. "Just that I think you've been too friendly to Angry Face."

Her arms fell to her sides, and she was silent for a moment, as if considering. "You've got a problem with that?"

"Of course I do," I said, throwing my arms in the air. "He's the recently depraved new guy. You're going too easy on him. Which, by the way, doesn't make _any_ sense coming from you."

Her eyes narrowed. "I still don't see why _you'd_ care."

"I'm just saying," I said, holding out my hands and closing my eyes. "You shouldn't get too close to him."

"Aha," Toph said smugly, and I popped an eye open. She pointed at me, smirking. "You just don't want him to _like_ me."

"What?" My jaw dropped as a wave of thoughts that had never occurred to me did just that. Toph... and _Zuko_? I had only considered the possibility for a split second before it threatened to give me a whopping headache. "That's ridiculous! I mean, why would he even _want_ to?"

She didn't respond immediately, giving me time to push the worst thoughts out of my head.

"Sokka... is that what you really think?" she asked in an oddly hushed voice.

"Yes, it most certainly is," I said savagely, clutching my forehead in my hand by then. I rather suspected that Zuko didn't have a caring bone in that lonely carcass of his, much less one to spare.

"Oh."

I eyed her, suspicious of her resigned tone, and was surprised to see her visibly droop. Fallen head and sagging shoulders - I couldn't fathom what caused it.

Except-

_No way_, I thought, staring out at nothing with a grimace frozen on my face. Toph and Zuko. She couldn't possibly _like_ him, could she? _Toph_? And _Zuko_? This was _Toph_. And _Zuko_!

But I'd seen her reaction - going over my words and what she'd said, I couldn't think of any other possible explanation for it. I had the facts now, no matter how impossible they seemed.

I glanced at her again, daring to see if her reaction had just been my imagination. But somewhere in my absorption of the idea, she'd disappeared.

_Well,_ I thought, crossing my arms. _That settles it._

Toph, my good, sensible friend, had fallen for an insensitive jerk who probably wouldn't look at her twice, much less reciprocate her feelings. I almost felt sorry for her, if it wasn't for the _who_. What did she even see in him? Well, not literally, but _seriously_?

I decided that was it. As soon as Zuko got back, I'd roast him good.


	14. Nitpick

**Title:** Nitpick

**Setting:** Whenever

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"Yeah, well, Goody-Goody and Twinkletoes will probably be back before you know it," I said, crossing one leg over the other and putting my hands behind my head.

There was a short pause. "You know something I've noticed, Toph?" Sokka asked thoughtfully. "You call Katara and Aang by nicknames. I mean, on a regular basis. But not me. Why is that?"

I found myself tilting my head. I'd never really thought of it before. I cast about for a reason. "I guess it's because I actually take you seriously." It just popped out - the first thing that came to mind.

"Really?" he asked, his voice uplifted, betraying how much that meant to him.

"But there's so little about you to take seriously," I was quick to add, sitting up straight. "So obviously, by not calling you by a silly nickname, I'm being sarcastic every time I say your name."

There was an awkward silence.

"Thanks, Toph," he said in a deadpan voice. "You know, Appa looks a little lonely over there. I think I'll go see if he needs anything."

I kicked myself mentally as he got up. "No problem, Sokka," I said in a low voice, and his step faltered. I kicked myself again.

_Great, Toph,_ I thought a moment later when he had walked away. _Did he just believe all that rubbish you threw at him?_

_"_See, Sokka?" I asked the open air. "This is exactly why I have trouble taking you seriously."


	15. Obligation

Jus4theheckofit98 - You like angst? Well I hope so, because there's some upcoming.

* * *

**Title:** Obligation

**Setting:** At least a couple years post-war, at one of those parties everyone always writes about.

**Viewpoints:** Zuko and Sokka

* * *

"May I have this dance, Toph?"

"No, you certainly may not."

I smiled and shook my head. Perhaps not everyone could tell, but I knew Toph was pouting. Her arms were crossed, crumpling her fine dress, and her posture was poor. That wasn't really so unusual, but she had that particular closed expression that usually only meant one thing.

"Come now," I cajoled, calling upon the perfect nonchalance I'd learned in recent years. "I can't let a beauty such as yourself be without a partner."

"Tell that to someone who cares, Zuko," she said, turning her face away. "I'm not here for flattery."

"Then what are you-" I stopped as her expression changed suddenly. She leaned forward, brows raised, giving her attention to something that clearly wasn't me.

I glanced behind me and saw a particular couple on the dance floor pass us swiftly by, laughing. I turned back to Toph and smirked.

She cleared her throat, probably hoping I hadn't noticed. Coming to a stand, with her chin tilted up, she held out her hand.

"Very well, Zuko," she said, narrowing her eyes at me. "If you _must_ insist, I'll give you _one_ dance."

I didn't speak, just gave her a smile and bowed.

My suspicions - though they weren't really so doubtful as to be called mere suspicions - were thoroughly confirmed after our dance began. She gave me as much attention as she would a cabbage slug. Every sign gave away her distraction, and I could tell the location of what it was by the slant of her face and her almost imperceptibly craned neck - angled thusly so as to give her ears the best opportunity to overhear someone's conversation.

As if that wasn't enough, she took the lead - apparently unconsciously - drawing us closer and closer to the culprits. Even if I was as blind as she was I'm pretty sure I could have guessed who we were circling given my past dealings with her alone.

"If you want to dance with him so much, you should probably just ask him," I said, shaking my head.

Her gaze snapped to mine with unnerving accuracy. Her eyes narrowed, and I couldn't help but notice her tightened grip in my hand.

"You know, Zuko, I'm _already_ humoring you," she said in a low, dangerous voice. "You don't want me to make a scene, do you?"

"Believe me, at this rate you don't need me to do so," I told her, suppressing the urge to snicker as her ear once again angled toward the laughing couple we were orbiting.

"Think what you like," she said, reluctantly turning her face back in my direction. "But just because you're my friend, don't think you have a clue what's going on."

I sighed. I had a strong urge to tell her almost exactly the same thing. Instead, I took the lead back and brought us swiftly in the opposite direction.

Her eyes widened, seeing what I was doing.

"Don't you dare!"

"Excuse me, Sokka," I said, ignoring her. "May I cut in?"

* * *

I blinked, surprised by Zuko's sudden interruption. The charming young lady from the Earth Kingdom I had been dancing with for the last few minutes looked over my shoulder curiously. She took in who had requested to dance with her, seeming to realize who it was when her face split into a brilliant smile.

I grimaced, realizing it was a lost cause. After an exchange of looks and bows, Zuko whisked her away from me.

It was only then that I noticed who Zuko had been dancing with.

"Well, aren't we the popular ones," I said sarcastically, reluctantly taking her hand as I sent a glare after Zuko. Unfortunately the jerk wasn't looking in my direction.

"You seemed mighty pleased with each other just a moment ago," she said coldly, not having budged from her spot the whole time.

I stepped closer to her in order to avoid a collision with another couple. "Seemed," I muttered to Toph, scowling at them over my shoulder. "Well, no point dwelling on it."

I put my arm around her waist and tugged at her hand, trying to give her the hint to start dancing before someone knocked into us. She didn't exactly resist... but the steps she took in order to follow me had no rhythm to speak of.

"Toph, you'd better start dancing," I said with an irritable undercurrent. "If you keep sulking like that no one will want to be around you."

She glowered, but began to follow the proper pattern. I sighed, glad that at least that moment of awkwardness was over.

"So," she began, clearing her throat and tilting her head up slightly. "Why are you, uh, allowing yourself to dance with such an assortment of women?"

"Assortment?" I asked, nearly choking. "Toph, I'm just doing them a favor. Why would you even ask that?"

Her eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed upon my left sleeve. "Is it just me, or do I detect a bit of guilt in your voice?"

"No, of course not," I said too quickly. Then I sighed, realizing she probably could tell I was lying. "Fine, so I have been a little bored."

Her eyes narrowed further still. "So, because you've been bored, you've decided to tamper with the hearts of women?"

"What?" I asked, surprised by the sharpness of her tone. "No, of course not! It's just that, well... It's just I haven't seen Suki for a few weeks, and..."

"Out of sight, out of mind," she finished for me in disgust.

I glared at her, and changed our direction jerkily.

"No, Toph," I said firmly. "I'm just passing the time and being sociable. Believe me. I've already decided that if I'm having too much fun, I'll just stop."

"Ah," she said, acting like she had just been enlightened. "I see then. That excuses the sheer medley of girls."

I lowered my gaze, distracted. I had to admit that, _yes_, I did feel a little guilty. But...

"Suki's been a little distant lately," I thought aloud. Realizing how it must sound, I quickly continued. "That does _not_ mean I've been looking for someone else."

I expected Toph to poke another hole in my character, but instead she just missed a step in our dance.

"Really?" she asked, in that tone of voice that made it simply _impossible_ to tell if she was interested or not. I couldn't think of what to say, so we made a turn or two in silence.

"Er, yes," I said when I was sure she wasn't going to say anything else. "She's just been busy helping her village." I was getting really uncomfortable with the whole subject. In an effort to take her mind off it entirely, I spun her around elaborately.

When we came back together again, her eyes were wide, her breath quick. She almost looked dizzy.

_Maybe it worked_, I thought, relieved.

A devious smile sprang to her lips, and I began to worry. A moment later, she took the lead away from me.

She stepped quickly, with the kind of gracefulness I rarely saw in her. It forced me to pay attention to what we were doing so I wouldn't trip us up.

The room turned into a display of color and motion. It was so _different_ from the lifeless pacing we had been doing earlier. At some point, in our complex movements, she began to laugh. I found myself joining her.

We forced less enthusiastic couples out of the way as we circuited the dance floor. The movement that started out as taxing to my attention eased into a strange naturalness - possibly owing to the familiarity I had with my partner. I found myself watching her instead of my feet, seeing what she was about to do through her laughing eyes, her quirked smile, the slightest twitch of her fingers.

The music was reaching a crescendo. The dance almost over. Our steps quickened, we drew closer, spinning for the finale.

The final notes sounded, and we froze, my arm supporting her as I held her lowered slightly towards the floor. I stared at her, finding myself wishing she could stare back.

She breathed quickly, a grin fixed on her face. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Another dance?" she whispered.

I straightened up, jerked back to reality. We were in a crowded dance hall, and I was only dancing to pass the time.

I pulled away from her, and she blinked at me.

"Uh, no," I said, glancing away.

"Why?" she asked, drawing her feet directly under her, her face neutral and her tone quiet.

"I'm... having too much fun," I said, and walked away.

Uncannily, I spotted Zuko as I left the dance floor. Our eyes caught. He smirked at me knowingly.

I didn't dance again that night.


	16. Precarious

**Title:** Precarious

**Setting:** Whenever

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"Do you love me, Mother?"

I felt something weigh down my bed and then a hand against my face.

"You know I do, Toph," she told me, her voice softer than usual. "I love you more than anything in the world."

"But do you love _me_?" I insisted, my face falling as I anticipated her answer. "The real me. The one you never knew about."

Her other hand tilted my chin up and there was a pause.

"But I have always known you. I can see it in your face. Your determination. Your spirit - you are so... strong. And I may not have realized it, but I always knew you." I felt her fingers trace my temple. "And it has only strengthened my love."

My feet weren't touching the ground, but I instinctively knew - just knew - that her words were of the highest sincerity. I wrapped my arms around her, hiding my tears in her shoulder as a part of my broken heart sewed itself back together. My thoughts ran in every direction, creating connections to the various hurts and yearnings I'd had to endure all my life. I was bringing them all to the forefront of my mind so I could dismiss them forever with my next words, when-

I stiffened, a breeze chilling me. I was no longer leaning into my mother's embrace, but lying on familiar, unshakeable earth. My face was dry, unstained by happy tears. I sat up, realizing as my stomach fell that it had all been a dream.

I still hadn't seen my parents since that fateful night I ran away. I didn't know if they were still angry or hurt or just pitying me. I didn't know if they ever thought about the real me.

The emotion of my dream- it had felt so _real_. I actually believed that she loved me the way I was. I was on the verge of telling her how much it meant to me - how much _she_ meant to me. Reality used this to punch me in the gut.

I hugged my arms and leaned against the wall of my earth tent. I tried to hold them back at first, but tears fell in earnest, bittersweet for my new dream memory and the reminder of the painful times back at home.

I supposed it was appropriate that I dreamt of hearing that someone I loved loved me as well. And that I would confess to their face that I felt the same. It wasn't terribly different from some of my waking wishes.

But to still doubt whether or not it was true? That turned my dream into nothing short of a nightmare.

"Do you love me, Sokka?"

* * *

"Of course," he said, turning around without missing a beat. "Why, something bothering you?"

I turned my face away from him. That was that - he hadn't understood me. How could he ever think of me the way I thought of him? I still had to ask him, even though I already knew his answer would hurt me.

"Toph?" he questioned me, his voice sounding far away. I took a deep breath, and held it for a moment.

"But do you... _love_-"

I wrenched myself into a sitting position, gasping. Clutching my hair, I panted for a few moments to ground myself, ridding myself of the last vestiges of my dream.

After I dreamt about my mother I had almost forgotten about it. Pushed it out of my head so I didn't have to dwell on the whether or not. I thought that had been bad. _Now_ I knew my subconscious was out to get me.

Laying back down, I calmed by breathing but my heart still raced. Shutting my eyes tight I dug my fingers into the ground, trying to relieve some of my tension.

The stupid part was that I knew I hadn't woken up because I'd seen through the dream and didn't want to deal with it. No, I was simply _that_ anxious. I believed it was real again, and I dreaded the thought of telling Sokka that I... loved... him?

I shook my head. Despite how silly it was to be so upset in a dream, I was thankful for the interruption. I mean, imagine if it had been just like the other dream, and he'd admit that he _did_ love me?

And I would have believed it and been hurt further.

...but what if that _wasn't _how it was going to end? What if he had clearly and irrevocably stated that he didn't love me?

I huddled into myself.

Yeah. I was better off not knowing.


	17. Quintessential

Vienx.001 - I'm glad you like them! Maybe we'll see mutual Tokka in the future... as for humor, you'll like this week's. ;)

* * *

**Title:** Quintessential

**Setting:** Immediately after 215.

**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

Sokka's stomping feet alerted me of his return quite some distance from the house, but it wasn't until after he slammed the front door shut that Katara hurried into the room.

"What's wrong, Sokka?" she asked in concern, coming to meet him and leaning forward apprehensively.

His posture was terrible, and from his unintelligible grumbling I figured he'd had a particularly unsuccessful night trying to make some progress with the war effort.

"Sokka, what's wrong?" she repeated.

"Nothing, Katara," Sokka replied in his darkest voice. "Except poetry club girls. And their bodyguards."

"Um, Sokka...?" Katara fell back a pace, momentarily speechless. "...was that a haiku?"

There was a slapping noise remarkably similar to the sound made when a hand meets a forehead. "See?" he cried. "I can't get away from it." He sighed, and added in an undertone, "Eight syllables. Maybe I've been cured."

"Still seventeen syllables, your phrasing's just off," Katara said smugly. "Anyway, want to talk about it?"

"No, no, not really," Sokka said, groaning. "Katara, why are girls so _picky_?"

_Girls again_, I thought suspiciously. _Is that why he took all day to get back?_

"Excuse me?" Katara said, a dangerous tone entering her voice.

I sighed, moving towards a cushion to sit down somewhere out of the way. With that marvelous segue it looked like the conversation wasn't going to go in a good direction.

Of course I wasn't expecting to be addressed.

"Toph, what's on your face?" Sokka asked in a completely different voice, apparently startled out of his previous misery altogether.

I rubbed my cheek. "Makeup, I assume."

"What did you do to her?" he asked in Katara's direction.

I turned my face away. Did he agree with those girls, then? Or maybe... he actually liked the way I looked normally?

Realistically speaking, I had to think it was the former.

"How could you be so insensitive?" Katara asked crossly, leaning her weight toward him. "There's nothing wrong with the way she looks!"

I let my head drop, trusting my hair to hide my face.

"What?" Sokka said defensively, raising his arms. "I'm just surprised to see her wearing makeup at all. I mean, it'd make sense if you were sneaking into a party again- or are you?"

"No," Katara said shortly and sniffed. "We simply went to a spa today."

"Really?" He turned to me "She didn't threaten you, did she?"

"Are you kidding?" I lifted my face, willing away as much of the heat in my cheeks as I could. "Beauty Queen here? She wouldn't stand a chance if she tried to force me."

"Good," Sokka said, letting out a sigh. "Then you're feeling perfectly normal. Me? I'm beat."

He walked towards his room and subsequently Katara started after him. "Hey, I'm not finished talking to you about your 'picky' girls," she said argumentatively.

Any further discussion on the matter was cut off from my hearing by the closing of a door, but I found I didn't mind that he had 'picky girls' to worry about.

Because, no matter how slightly, he liked me the way I was.


	18. Resemblance

Azafran - Thank you! I'm glad to hear the fics are reminding you of the wonderfulness of Tokka. :)

Yummy yummy pad se eu - Yes, this collection will finish with Z. Hopefully I will have more fics for you guys after that, but it won't be as regular.

* * *

**Title:** Resemblance  
**Setting:** Shortly after 304.  
**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

"So who's the lucky boy?" Katara asked suddenly, in a strangely deep voice.

"What?" I asked, jumping.

"Your betrothal necklace," Katara said, and suddenly she was by my side and putting her hand on my shoulder. "You're getting married... right?"

"_What_?" I squeaked, and backed out of her reach. "Katara, what are you _talking_ about?"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist," she said through laughter, returning to her normal pitch. "It's just I saw your new necklace."

My hand went to the meteorite necklace I'd made from the space rock Sokka had given me yesterday. "Yeah?" I asked her, fingering the pendant. "What's that have to do with anything?"

"Well, it kind of looks like my necklace, so I got to thinking about it."

"Uhm," I said, scrunching my brows together while trying to piece it all together. "You have a betrothal necklace?"

"Yeah," she admitted. "You see, in the Northern Water Tribe guys carve necklaces to give to their brides. I actually got mine from my mother, y'know? And she got it from my Gran-Gran."

That sounded familiar, so I nodded.

"But I never knew what it was, so it was a shock when I found out it." She laughed suddenly. "I was probably just as surprised as you!"

I smiled enough to show I thought it was funny. Sort of. I kept fingering the necklace I'd made. Maybe she had been equally startled, but I had a feeling no one had teased her about marrying her best friend the day before. Her best friend who technically gave her the necklace, no less...

"Hey, you okay?" Katara asked, placing her hand on my shoulder again. "I was just teasing. It doesn't really look like a betrothal necklace."

I raised a brow at her, then tried to give her my best skeptic look. "Of course, Katara." I held up my pendant. "You think a Water Tribe guy could make something as good as this?"

She laughed, and this time at least I got to enjoy the fact that I'd caught her off guard.

"You're right. I'm glad those necklaces are just a Northern tradition," she said, turning to step away. "Otherwise I'd feel sorry for whichever girl Sokka made one for."

_Northern Water Tribe betrothal necklaces, huh? _I thought as she walked away. After several moments considering, I took off my new necklace and bended it into my fist.

Now I had to think of something else to do with the space rock Sokka had given me. I wasn't going to wander around with what looked like a Water Tribe betrothal necklace if it wasn't even going to count.


	19. Sanctuary

**Title:** Sanctuary  
**Setting:** Shortly after the war.  
**Viewpoint:** Toph

* * *

The crunch of snow outside the entrance was my only real warning that someone was coming. Even so, it was muffled in the eerie quiet. I figured I should have been able to feel the regular vibrations of footsteps so close, but every movement, one or a hundred yards away, seemed to cause them in this neck of the woods. I huddled deeper into my parka.

"Ahh, I am _so_ beat," Sokka's voice announced. "Who knew Northern celebrations were so demanding?" There was a pause in his footsteps, as he seemed to take the room in. "Toph?"

"Yeah?" I asked bitingly, resenting his confusion. Did he seriously not know why I was here like this?

"Uhm, I didn't notice you left early," he said awkwardly.

"I'm _so_ glad to hear you cared," I said, unable to keep my teeth from chattering before I'd finished speaking. I jerked my face away from him. He sighed. If I hadn't felt so cold and helpless, I might have felt a little guilty.

To my surprise, something pulled me into an upright position.

"C'mon Toph."

"Sokka?" I asked, then gritted my teeth and tried to tug my hand out of his grip. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to find you _something_ to cheer you up," he said firmly.

I creased my brow. I wasn't wholly against the idea, but I doubted the possibility.

Stumbling after him in silence, I could tell from his quick and direct steps that Sokka knew _exactly_ where he was going. I still didn't, of course.

"So, you gonna tell me where we're going?" I asked pointedly.

"It's a surprise."

"You don't sound too happy about it."

"I'm not."

I pursed my lips, wondering how he could possibly expect to cheer me up if he didn't even care. But something in his voice kept me from criticizing his tact.

"Okay, we're here."

I took a few breaths after we'd come to a stop. The cold air felt no different than any other part of the Northern Water Tribe. "My, this is exciting," I said in a monotone.

And then he swept me off my feet.

For an instant, my heart beat erratically. Had he brought me all the way out here, wherever _here_ was, for... for- romance?

I could tell his face was close to mine, and I held my breath, wide-eyed. But he continued walking, and nothing else happened.

Before I knew it he was setting me down again. As soon as I had regained my balance I hit him.

"What was that for?" I snarled at him, feeling warm all over and hoping he'd attribute the heat in my face to my anger.

"I had to get you through the gate," he said defensively.

"What gate?" I demanded.

He didn't reply and instead took my hand again.

"Sokka, I'm getting _really_ tired of this," I said, trying not to stumble. "I thought you said we were _already_ there."

"We _are_, just another moment-"

We went over a rise that wasn't made of snow. It clunked just like wood.

"Finally," he said on the other side of the rise. "Now, sit down."

I raised an eyebrow in his direction, thoroughly skeptical by now. "Why?"

"Just trust me, Toph."

I narrowed my eyes, but opted to do as I was told, keeping a glower on my face for his benefit.

I did _not_ expect him to tug off my boot.

"Sokka, are you trying to give me frostbite?" I demanded, jerking my bare foot towards myself. "It's so cold and I can't-"

My words hung in the air, forgotten. As he tugged the other boot away my toes had just managed to brush the ground.

The grassy, speaking ground.

I jumped up, his strange actions the farthest thing from my mind, unable to believe my feet.

I was on _earth_! The grass- and the rocks- and my bending was back! I could see it all - an oasis in the middle of this desolate sheet of ice. And the flowers and bamboo - knowing they were there, I could suddenly smell them in the crisp air.

I laughed and danced upon the earth, manipulating the ground to twirl me around. If I was dreaming, it was the most welcome dream I had ever had. And right at the edge of this little oasis was the boy who had given me this little miracle.

"Sokka, it's wonderful!" I told him in delight, unable to keep the grin off my face even if I had wanted to. I turned towards him, suppressing the urge to hug him before I'd had a chance to think twice about it.

But I stopped. He wasn't paying attention. He wasn't even facing me. He was moving towards a pond that was the center of this refuge. Upon reaching it, he knelt, still not noticing me.

My smile faltered. I was still jittery with excitement, but I could tell something was bothering him. If I had to make a guess, it was something that had to do with his earlier reticence.

"Sokka!"

He jumped a little. "Yeah?" he asked distractedly.

"What are you doing?" I demanded. Then I softened my voice in an attempt to hide my inexplicable disappointment. "Why did you come here if it wasn't to show me this place?"

"But I didn't-" he cut himself off and I heard him suck in his breath. "Well... This was where Yue... left."

I was silent as I let that thought sink in. I'd heard enough of Yue to piece the story together. Became the Moon Spirit. Sokka's love. Lauded among her people as a heroine.

And here I was, practically dancing on her grave.

"I wasn't sure I wanted to come here," he continued, almost as if to himself. "But you looked so miserable. It was the only place I could think of."

I knelt near him. "Do you think she would mind?" I asked, tracing the blades of grass before me with my fingers.

"What?" he said, sounding genuinely surprised. "Oh, she's the last person who would mind. Heh." I lifted up my head upon hearing his amusement. He sighed. "I wish you could have met her."

I tilted my head up as if I could find the moon in the night sky. It was strange, thinking about this girl I'd never met who'd turned into the moon which I'd never seen.

"You know..." Sokka began slowly. "I really do think there's something special about this place." He leaned back on one hand as he looked around. "It's almost like she's here, but..."

I kept tracing my hand along the ground, then took his arm. "Mhm," I murmured. "Thank you."

I didn't want him to feel like he had to explain anything. I wasn't sure I could explain how it felt to be on land once more. But I could relish the return of my sight perfectly well from where I knelt, and I thought it the least I could do to give him space for his thoughts. Perhaps he'd be able to see what a gift he had given me.

High above us the moon watched in silence.


End file.
